As part of the development of Europe, one might think that religion and politics played a key role in shaping the regions, which they did, but many individuals do not realize the true impact of the role played by spices in the evolution of the economy and the expansion of Europe. Food alone represented a vast field of human experience and shaped people's beliefs, values, aesthetics, and, most importantly, their social attitudes towards each other. Spices contributed to these attitudes, providing the individual with a potential window to change their understanding of the political and social life of certain cultures and nations. The main question that author Paul Freedman asks within the text is: why did Europeans, and before them the Romans, maintain such a high demand for spices for almost a millennium? The first chapters are dedicated to the culinary side of spices, particularly with regards to specific condiments: pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and especially saffron. Spices were a common good used within families, being used in large quantities not only in foods but also in drinks; as Freedman stated, "from the 13th to the 15th centuries, spices appear in 75 percent of recipes." . The types of spices used varied by region; the English preferred cubeb while the French opted for long pepper. The cuisines of both regions, according to the wealthier classes, "both represented the triumph of virtuosity over simplicity". The primary sources Freedman researched were immense, mostly coming from cookbooks of that era which effectively provided a better understanding of the importance of spices within dishes and different styles. Although spices were very common, the quantity consumed varied...... middle of paper ......the placing of spices on the market during the Middle Ages not only created an economic boom but also led to changing social perspectives , political and religious aspects of society. The great importance of the spice trade opened doors for nations to expand and create new relationships with neighboring regions, but more importantly it allowed individuals such as Columbus, Da Gama, Polo and other explorers to discover new domains which ultimately led to the colonization of the Americas today. Paul Freedman's book does a great job of enlightening the reader about how significant spices have been throughout the ages, and with the help of numerous primary sources, the message became clear immediately after reading the first chapter. The book allows us to better understand the fundamental importance that spices had in the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern era.